FAIR OAKS, CA (MPG) - The July 2020 Bond Oversight Committee meeting was held via teleconference with Mike Aho, Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District Administrator, giving updates to the committee members

The new Fair Oaks Bike Park located at Phoenix Park is completed and had a soft opening last Monday, July 6, 2020. A tentative virtual ribbon cutting will be on July 17, 2020 at 4:30 pm. Designed by American Ramp Company, the bike park is set up as a pump track geared towards riders aged 3-12 that build and challenge their skills through ramps, banked turns, tunnels, and more.  The bike park is open seven (7) days a week from dawn to dusk and is free of charge. All riders must wear a helmet. Balance bikes and bikes with training wheels are welcome. The public is encouraged to promote social distancing and follow all CDC guidelines when using the bike park. Updated information pertaining to the virtual ribbon cutting will be posted on the Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District webpage.

Aho said the biggest project to fall under Measure J funding is the redesign and updating of Village Park and Plaza Park, the Community Clubhouse/Village Hall, and the Theatre. The estimated budget of Village/Plaza Park is $7.4 million, Theatre is at $5.9 million and the Clubhouse/Village Hall is at $1.3 million for a total of $14.6 million. Construction is estimated to begin in spring 2021. A big concern brought up at past Community Outreach meetings and mentioned again at the meeting by Amy Larsen, Committee Vice Chair, was the parking impact for the businesses in the Village. Aho said that parking will be kept open as much and as long as possible around the construction site.

The next project under Measure J Bond jurisdiction, Swallow Way Park, has construction starting in October 2020. It is budgeted at $833,736. Funding of Swallow Way Park is divided among various sources:  $200,000 from Measure J funds, $250, 000 from Prop 68 and $383,736 or the balance of project will be pulled from impact fees and the FORPD Board approval.

Aho provided an update on Proposition 68 the 2018 State of California Park and Water Bond. The Park District will be receiving $177,952 from the Per Capita program and an additional $21,490 from the Urban County fund. These funds will be used to fund a portion of the new Swallow Way Park. The additional funds needed to develop Swallow Way Park will come from Measure J funds and the Districts Impact Fees. Impact fees can only be used to expand facilities or build new parks.

Decisions need to be made regarding the Old Library building which is located across the street from Village Park. Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District Board is considering numerous options such as renovating the building, tearing it down for additional parking, or selling the property.  Additionally, Aho said that an operational plan for arts and entertainment needs to be devised since the arts will be the focus of the updated Village/Plaza Park area. The Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District Board approved and went into contract with AMS Planning and Research to work with the District on moving forward to create an operating model and plan. It will take AMS approximately 5 months after the initial meeting to provide data and guidance on options. The Bond Oversight Committee members that were present at the meeting recommended waiting on input from AMS before any definitive decision is made on the Old Library building and Aho takes this recommendation to the District Board at the Board meeting on Wednesday, July 15.

The last item discussed at the committee meeting was the status of the organ in the Community Clubhouse. Discussions have come up within the Board on whether it is in the best interest to keep the organ and the stage it sits on or to remove both to have more table and seating space in the Clubhouse. Gary Juels, Committee Chair, said he supports keeping the organ as it is an asset to the community. Aho said that it is costly to not only move the stage that the organ sits on but to reconfigure all the electrical within the Clubhouse and most of the electrical is underneath the stage. Juels suggested finding more ways to capitalize on the organ such as having cocktail and music events with the organ being a focal point. There is a lot of potential in having such a unique item in Fair Oaks. The Bond Oversight Committee members agreed that keeping the organ was in the best interest of the community and Aho takes their recommendation to the District Board at the next Board meeting.